His Christmas Wish
by dshell99
Summary: Kevin's been playing Santa for his friends for a couple of years now, but sometimes Santa wants his wishes granted, too. Disclaimer: I don't own Ed, Edd and Eddy. I only own my OCs and plot. Except Trevor. He belongs to himself.
1. Welcome Home!

Kevin looked himself over through the full length mirror in Nazz and Eddy's guest bathroom. Eddy may have thought it was hilarious _making_ the tall redhead wear the Santa costume, but Kevin knew he looked good. Not that he'd _ever_ let _Eddy_ know _that_. Standing at 6'4, he knew he was _tall_ for Santa, but the fake belly Marie made for the rented costume that fit him better than the one the costume shop sent because it was _made_ _for him_ , rounded him out enough that the _tall Santa_ look was convincing. He grew his beard out in the winter to keep his face warm, but kept it _tight_ because West Virginia's winters were so temperamental, and May would paint it _white_ to round out the look.

He looked good.

 _Damned good,_ Eddy's bad jokes at his expense be damned.

When the shrimpy Ed married his best friend seven years ago, the former rivals _finally_ buried the hatchet that had been dead since their throw down with Eddy's brother the summer between sixth and seventh grade.

But old habits die hard.

"Kevin would make a _great_ Santa! The kids never get to see him like they do me and Ed. He'd be _perfect!,"_ Eddy had said when Nazz suggested a visit from Santa at their Christmas Eve party when Kim was five and Connie was three.

When Double Dee countered that Rolf's being from one of many countries where Saint Nick's origins could be traced to would make him a better Santa, even Kevin had to agree with Nazz's argument that the farmer was just _too foreign_ to pull it off.

So Kevin was _it._

He told himself he was doing this for Nazz and the girls.

But two Christmases ago, he found _other reasons_ to don the costume. Thing was, the major reason would always be _gone_ til _next Christmas_ the day after Christmas.

 _"Ho, ho, ho,"_ he thought to himself as he grabbed the bag of gifts Nazz had set behind the door as that reason walked into the door and the Eds annual holiday reunion kicked off.

"Uncle Dee! Uncle Dee!," Connie squealed from the kitchen as the voices in the hall died down and made their way to the warmest room in the house.

"Hello, Constance."

 _And Kevin's world stood still._

He didn't hear any of their undoubtedly _lively_ conversation as he spent the next couple of minutes trying to catch his breath and still his conscious assaulting him with so many memories.

But he _did_ hear Nazz's call to everyone from the bottom of the stairs to head to the living room for the stocking stuffer exchange before _Santa_ came. After about three minutes, he snuck out of the bathroom and headed to the back stairway of the restored Victorian house. He would then sneak out of the kitchen's backdoor and come back around to the front where he made his _entrance_ as _Santa._

* * *

He hadn't been counting on running into _him_ halfway down the stairs.

"Well, _hello there."_

"Hey, Edd."

The flash of hurt in Edd's eyes at his _cold as coal_ tone hurt _him_ , but he had a job to do and just _couldn't_ be _distracted_ by his _Christmas Lover._

"Well, I'll let you get to it, _Santa."_

 _"Thanks._ Behave yourself," he grinned because he just couldn't help himself and a touch of pink flashed across pale cheeks.

"Yes, _Santa."_

They quickly passed each other and Kevin shot him his usual wink when he came back in the house. The smirk he got in return let him know that their _game_ was still on.

The game was a simple one.

Just him and Edd, for two nights.

They'd share the guest bedroom in the basement for the holiday. Their first Christmas Eve together, they spent the whole night talking. They had been pretty decent friends during their latter middle school and high school years. College sent them to different parts of the country. Eddward got into Pepperdine in southern California, while Kevin stayed on the east coast and got a full ride scholarship to play baseball at Duke.

A master's degree program sent Edd to Chicago, while Kevin went to Omaha to play Triple A baseball for the Kansas City Royals and start his own insurance agency. He got called up to play for the Royals in Kansas City a few times, but nothing permanent. Despite their proximity, they never crossed paths except when they came home for the holidays. Back then they'd stay with their respective parents, until Edd's retired to Phoenix, Kevin's father passed away, and his mother moved to San Antonio to be closer to her side of the family.

Edd would go to Arizona for Thanksgiving, but back to Peach Creek to spend Christmas with his friends as his parents took a holiday cruise. Kevin would go to Texas for Thanksgiving and then back to Peach Creek for the same reasons as Edd.

Ed and May had an apartment that was just too small for Edd, who relished his privacy, Rolf's parents, Nana, wife, her mother, and brother made his home full, Marie would grab a hotel with Lee, Jimmy and Sarah stayed with Sarah and Ed's parents, Jonny would stay in Rolf's barn on the _rare_ occasion he'd come back for the holidays, but the dork and the jock were _ordered_ to stay with their besties. Eddy bought the house right out of college and with Rolf and Jonny's help, restored it to its previous _Gothic_ condition. Then he proposed to his long-time girlfriend and they got married in the house not too long after.

Nazz's parties had always been the highlight of the half circle group of friends' lives when they were younger and nothing had changed over time other than their ages and family sizes.

Or lack of family sizes.

* * *

That first Christmas Eve of just _talking_ to Edd found Kevin _feeling_ things he hadn't felt in _years._

Edd had been _out_ since sophomore year of high school. Life wasn't too tough, but the smart dork _knew_ that certain trappings of life were out of his reach in the traditional sense. Kevin told him, though, that tradition is what we make of it. They had made their own to come home to their makeshift family and carry on as best they could.

Christmas night had them _carrying on_ with each other.

Flirting has no respect of person's and Edd was _good_ at it.

 _Really good._

And he was a fantastic kisser, too.

Kevin would blame the egg nog; Edd would blame the after dark conversations that had him whispering wishes to the one _person_ whose job it was to grant them.

Didn't hurt that _this_ particular _Santa_ was a great listener, straight shooter, and had no problem granting a wish or two.

But sometimes Santa needs his wishes fulfilled, too.

The conversations sparked feelings, the kisses set those feelings ablaze.

And Kevin was at a lost as to what he should do.

Not _wanted_ to do.

 _Should do._

* * *

After Edd got his master's degree, he moved to New York to head up his own research team for a biotech firm. The microbiologist had always been a bit of a whiz kid in the lab, so the job wasn't a surprise to his friends and family.

But the _work_ kept him away.

Because of America's love affair with the cold weather holidays, the firm would shut down for the Thanksgiving weekend and the two weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year's. But Edd never stayed long. Even before his parents retired and moved, he'd be gone by the 28th _at the latest._ Considering the party that New York threw for the New Year's holiday, Kevin didn't blame Edd for wanting to get the hell up and out of Dodge.

Why _watch_ the party, when you can _be_ at the party?!

After their rendezvous last year, and Edd going _ghost_ before dawn, with nary a peep out of him til fucking _Easter_ , Kevin's a man on _edge_.

The bedroom was a simple one.

Queen sized bed, with a sleeper couch at the foot of it. Eddy told them to flip a coin and told Edd not to lock everyone out of the room, because privacy or not, the doors had a tendency to _stick_ and he wanted them to be able to get out of the room if they needed to without tearing the door and door frame apart. Especially considering that his _dorkiness_ could rub Kevin the wrong way sometimes.

That first night, they talked til dawn. They did Christmas morning with the girls, brunch with their friends and _crashed_. Edd in the room and Kevin on the couch upstairs. Which meant that they were well rested for the _adult_ party on Christmas night. Egg nog _flowed_ and by the end of the night, Edd was in Kevin's arms, kissing his _Santa Daddy._

And he was gone by lunch the next morning.

Their simple banter never changed and Edd maintained a poker face about how their night went. Eddy took him to the airport, but Kevin could have _sworn_ that there was something _sad_ in those blue eyes as he walked out the door.

* * *

The next year, they played catch up, but fell asleep at a more decent hour. Again in each other's arms. The girls banged on the door at the ass crack of dawn, and Christmas madness began again. Naptime commenced in its usual locations, but that night was something else.

It wasn't til after Edd had left at the next ass crack of dawn that Kevin finally admitted a few things to himself.

He spent two years in Omaha after Edd moved to New York, before calling baseball a wrap and moved his insurance agency to Lemon Brook. His good looks and charm had everyone in both small neighboring towns buying polices from him. The work and money from it freed him up to travel to the places he had hoped his baseball career and the money with it, would have taken him.

But he could never bring himself to go to NYC.

Didn't think he deserved it.

Because he didn't think he deserved Edd.


	2. Christmas Wishes

Junior year had them in the craziest under cover relationship Kevin ever had the privilege of being involved in.

Despite being _out_ , Edd was _very selective_ about who he dated. Peach Creek was a small town so his options were limited. Lemon Brook and the city were no better.

Once or twice a guy caught his eye, but nothing lasted long.

It was _Kevin_ who caught his last local ex cheating on him with another guy from the baseball team. Kevin knew it was revenge for Edd turning his teammate down and for him breaking up with his ex because he didn't want to rush their relationship into heavily committed areas that neither really was ready to go into yet, but the guy didn't see it that way and called Edd a jerk for _leading him on._

When the dust settled, Kevin and Edd settled with each other. First as friends, and then the banter got _flirtatious_ , but only between the two of them. But things got _hot_ after Kevin slapped his hand over Edd's mouth to shut him up about some tangent or another and the usually mysophobic Edd _licked him_.

Kevin was so stunned, he yanked his hand back in disgust and went on a tangent of his own about Edd's _germy mouth._

 _"It's cleaner than yours."_

 _"Prove it."_

The kiss that was Edd's _proof_ blew Kevin away. And he lost six months of his life to Edd.

 _And his virginity._

Edd dated two other guys in the meantime. Kevin met them both. He trusted the red head's judgment. But Kevin wasn't one to stay on the back burner, no matter how much he _liked_ Edd.

So he called it quits right before senior year began. And it _hurt_. He missed the dork something fierce, but since Edd didn't seem to _want_ to be out with _him_ as he was with _everyone else,_ he had to end it.

* * *

Edd, on the other hand, seemed _un_ bothered. And that bothered Kevin even more. But because of their friends, he kept his head as best he could and would blame any _attitude_ _changes_ on the stress of school and planning his future.

Visits home from college were cordial. They were downright friendly to one another at Eddy and Nazz's wedding. Holidays brought them back around to their old friendliness and they bonded over their goddaughters. But Edd was always gone just as quickly as he came.

That first Christmas Eve forced them to face each other as _adults_ , not hurt teenagers. Edd was apologetic and contrite as he wiped the white makeup in Kevin's beard away. He was more afraid of losing their friendship if they broke up than he was of dating Kevin out loud. Instead of explaining himself, he just kept them and so much of himself locked away. Life had taught him that living out loud was more than just wearing a few labels. Some labels may not match, but that didn't mean that they weren't beautiful and deserved to be shown. Not merely as accessories, but as regular pieces of who we are. If you like it enough, you treat it well and make it work for you. Kevin deserved better than what Edd had done to him _and them_ because he just couldn't get _himself_ to make it all work even though he would have had plenty of help to do so.

But Kevin couldn't help but forgive him. It was Christmas and he was Santa.

 _Time to forgive and move forward._

* * *

Well, as far forward as one could with their _ex._ Especially when that _ex_ , just couldn't bring himself to _stay home._

Kevin blamed himself. He shouldn't have forced Edd to have to out _them_ , just like Max shouldn't have tried to force a grown up commitment on a weeks old relationship.

He had always respected Edd. But he didn't respect Edd's wishes to live his life as he wished, and even though _he_ dumped Edd, he couldn't help but feel like the end of who they were then was his own fault. So he followed Edd's lead and stayed away.

Until the holidays _forced_ them back together.

He leaned into Edd's touch as the cold baby wipe was swiped against his blushing face and Edd went a mile a minute about his life and work in New York.

He never registered a word the man said, just enjoyed his touch and his company until it was gone. Which was always sooner than he wanted it to be.

"Ok, it looks like it's gone, but my neighbor told me about this facial scrub that's good for beards," Edd was saying as he put a tube of the facial scrub in Kevin's hands. "That," he said as he pointed to the scrub, "should take the rest of the paint out and get your face back to normal or something."

Kevin looked at the clear tube in his hand and made a face at the black particles of what he was sure was some sort of charcoal scrub.

"But it's a _scrub_. Isn't that too harsh?"

"Aw, does the mountain man have a baby face?"

Smirk met deadpan stare.

"You would know."

"Haha! I would!," Edd snickered. "But I'm being serious Kevin, you don't want anything in your face overnight and that should take care of it. I've got a moisturizer if you need it."

"I bet you do."

Red face met smirk and Kevin shot him another wink before he hopped in the shower.

Tea was on the nightstands and Edd couldn't even look him in the eye when he stepped out of the bathroom. He just scurried past him, but the moisturizer was next to the tea, so Kevin figured he was feeling a bit shy about the flirting. They only did it once a year, so he had to cut the guy some slack, especially since he never caught anything in their conversations about Edd having a love life back in NYC or much of a life at all because work consumed it.

On the one hand, he liked having all Edd's attention to himself, even if it was for a good 36 hours.

On the other, he worried.

If Edd was just using him to get his rocks off for the year like some end of the year charitable donation, he needed to quit because Kevin needed to be the paycheck that paid the taxes. Being in his every day and providing for his needs.

But if he was all Edd had because of the way Edd's life was set up, he either needed to _stay_ in Kevin's life or go find a new one because the redhead had had enough.

At least that's what he told himself.

After Edd got out of the bathroom and probably the world's hottest shower considering how pink he was all over, he cocked a brow at the toiletries he'd given Kevin on the nightstand.

"Verdict?"

"Come see for yourself," Kevin snarked at him in his usual friendly tone.

Edd rolled his eyes but went to the couch he was sitting on and cupped his face in his hands, closed his eyes and pressed their foreheads together as he caressed Kevin's face.

"And?"

A bright blush crossed Edd's face as he smiled.

"Feels soft to me. How's it feel to you?"

"Meh."

Edd rolled his eyes as he walked away to the bed and crawled under the covers.

"Story?"

"You got the couch because I was already in bed."

Kevin nodded as he crawled into the bed next to him and cuddled him close.

"I missed you."

"Mhm."

"Goodnight, Edd."

"Night, Santa."

But he did kiss him. Gently and it lingered.

And Kevin made his New Year's resolution: Get Santa's favorite good boy back in his life.

He couldn't live without his kisses anymore.

* * *

They heard the girls before they saw them.

The pitter-patter of little feet had given way to thunderous _noise_ , but at least this year, the girls waited til the sun had come up a bit.

Kevin and Edd were brushing their teeth when they came banging on the door.

"There had better be coffee," Edd said as sternly as he could muster as he opened the door to the two smiling girls, shaking with excitement, a cup of coffee in each of their hands.

"C'mon, Uncle Dee!," Kim said excitedly as she started to drag him out of the room. "I want to see what Santa brought me!"

"Hopefully, more coffee."

 _"Uncle Dee!"_

* * *

Nazz apologized as usual for the girls' excitement but Kevin and Edd waved it off as the joy of children on Christmas morning is a bit contagious. The girls got everything they wanted and Nazz did, too. There were so many gifts, no one knew where Eddy went til a pile of wrapping paper _moved_ and muttered something about Santa bringing more coffee.

Kevin got him a mug of the dark brew and the small Ed came back to life. He and Kevin cleaned up the living room while Edd and Nazz started on brunch and the girls were ordered to their rooms to put their gifts away and get ready for the rest of the day.

Kevin and Edd got ready for the day in shifts, brunch and naps were had.

Kevin found him in the kitchen, sitting at the island in the center of the room after their naps looking at his phone and tablet with a serious expression on his face, one earbud in his ear.

 _"I can see that,_ Ang, but I'm also seeing a break in the storms during my flight so I don't see a problem getting back. It's the usual deadlock that may put a stop to things once I land," he told some person named Ang on the other side of his phone. "Tell him to shoot for an hour depending on how much snow we get before I get in…I know, _I know_ , but I _will_ be there…Yes, we'll do brunch… _Of course I haven't! I don't have a child, woman!,_ " he laughed and while Kevin loved to see him laughing, the mention of someone having something he didn't and would occasionally long for, hurt him, too.

The phone call soon ended and Edd put his devices away.

"Here to spike the egg nog?"

"I thought that was Ed's job?"

Edd snickered as he stood and pulled a small flask out of his back pocket. Kevin cocked a brow.

"I prefer mine with brandy," he shrugged.

"What does Big Ed use?"

"Cognac. Eddy likes it, too. So I just learned to carry my own stuff."

"Mind hooking a brother up?"

"Don't mind if I do," Edd grinned as he grabbed a bowl of egg nog out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen island.

Pulling two cups from the stack of cups Nazz set aside for the occasion, he served them both individually spiked glasses of egg nog using his own private poison.

Kevin stared into the glass after his first sip and argued with himself for a good minute before deciding that he liked the drink because brandy was better with egg nog than cognac, not just because he _liked_ Edd.

"Good?," Edd asked once his furrowed expression settled into something of acceptance.

"It is. Never considered brandy. Good looking out, Double Dork."

Edd smirked as Kevin raised his glass to him and then took another sip.

"Most people don't."

"But you're not most people."

"I am not," Edd sighed as he looked him over with that same sad look in his eyes that he wore when he left their first _forced shared_ Christmas two years ago.

The look grew sadder as he stared into his own drink before taking a big gulp, shuddering after he swallowed it and slapped a happy grin on his face as Ed walked in the door.

"Merry Christmas!," the big Ed roared as he pulled a fifth of Hennessey out of his coat's inside pocket. "Let's get this party started!"


	3. All I Want

"You sure you gotta 'em, Kev?," Nazz slurred as Kevin carried a drunken Double Dee back to the basement.

"Yeah," Kevin snickered as Edd fussed to be _put down now_.

"Nuh uh, Dee," Nazz said as she shook a finger at him. "You're drunk. You go sleep now."

 _"You're_ drunk. I'm _fiiiiine,"_ Edd slurred as he lolled his head against Kevin's chest and closed his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Sockhead. Don't drop him, Jockstrap!," Eddy called to them from his easy chair as Ed brought him more egg nog.

"Yeah, yeah," Kevin sighed as he carried the snuggly Edd downstairs.

When he laid him down, Edd pulled him down with him and cuddled him close.

"I'm sorry, Kev," he whispered.

"Sorry? Why?"

Edd just buried his face in his neck and sniffled.

"Edd?"

"I'm so bad at this," Edd sighed as he slowly rolled over and stared at the ceiling as tears ran out of his eyes.

When Kevin went to wipe the tears away, Edd grabbed his hand with his shaking own.

"God, I want you," he whispered as he kissed Kevin's hand. "So bad."

 _"Oh."_

"Exactly," Edd sighed again as he pulled Kevin's hand into his chest, but didn't take his eyes off the space above them.

Kevin knew it wasn't just the egg nog talking and he also knew his brain couldn't fight with his heart any longer. If Edd wanted him, he could have him! But Kevin was going to make sure that _this time_ , Edd wouldn't be able to run away anymore.

Pulling Edd towards him, he quickly captured Edd's lips with his own, but the ravenette still resisted. The kiss was tentative and Edd was _shaking._

"K-Kevin, I don't think we should be doing this," he said as he pulled away.

"Why not?!," he hissed as he pulled him in for another kiss.

 _"Because,"_ Edd began as he kissed him again. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Too late for that."

"Kevin, I'mmmmm."

Another kiss.

But Edd broke away.

Again.

Naturally.

"I don't care," Kevin nearly spat at him as he pulled him close again.

"You _should."_

"Edd, if I did, I'd never speak to you again."

Edd looked at him curiously and then bit his lip as another sad look registered in his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," he whispered as he kissed him again.

"I'm –"

"Sorry? You've said that before and I already told you it's ok."

"How?"

There was a look in Edd's eyes that Kevin had seen so many times before. Where he had to know what the answer was to something when there seemed to be no answer at all.

"Because if it wasn't I wouldn't be here. I live 20 minutes away, dude. All major roads and two highways. Remember that blizzard that hit four years ago?"

"Yes," Edd nodded slowly.

A wicked Nor'easter came down the coast in mid-January and Edd had ended up stuck in his lab for three days because he couldn't get home.

"Eddy was stuck at work for two days. I came over to shovel the driveway and check on the furnace and go to the store for them because it was too cold to take the girls out. In and out in no time because all the major roads and highways were clear in a matter of hours. So if I'm laying next to you, it's because I _want to be,_ Edd."

"And why would you be?!"

"Because I still want you, too."

"Even after…?"

Kevin smirked at him.

"What did you ask Santa for last year?"

 _"Oh, God,"_ Edd groaned and Kevin outright laughed.

Edd's _wish_ was for _Santa_ to find a cure for a hurting heart in his bag of tricks. He had just broken up with someone he had thought special enough to meet his parents at Thanksgiving, but who didn't think _he_ was special enough to spend _Christmas_ with.

They made out like teenagers their first _forced Christmas_ together. Their second had _Santa_ taking _care_ of his _Good Boy._

Kevin _all but_ fucked him that night.

 _But he touched_ _every piece of him._

Just like he did after his breakups with the two guys who managed to get his attention in ways Kevin _couldn't._

* * *

It was _Kevin_ who picked him back up and helped him pull himself back together. _Kevin_ was there to watch his back when someone seemed too good to be true. _Kevin_ was his cheerleader when he applied to _every big and little Ivy in the country_. _Kevin_ was there to console him with a hug and ice cream when he got rejected by _Harvard_ and then MIT. And _Kevin_ threw the party when he got into Pepperdine.

Despite his rejection, and Kevin's sometimes petty ass ways of _dealing_ with it, (usually bitter teasing and passive aggressiveness dressed up as stress), Kevin was there. Until _life_ tore them apart.

But fate and friends who were more like family than their actually family have a funny way of bringing things together.

"So, what does Santa's Good Boy want _this_ year?"

His tone was teasing, but his eyes were pleading.

And for the first time in way too long, _all_ of Edd's walls _fell_.

It was in his eyes.

His big, _beautiful,_ _bluer than blue_ eyes.

"You."

They pulled each other close and Kevin let his heart speak because Edd had taken over his mouth.

He shoved his hands under _the ugliest_ Christmas sweater he had _ever_ seen as Edd knotted his hands in his hair and _pulled._

 _"Yeesss,"_ Kevin hissed out in a hoarse whisper as he attacked his neck and Edd groaned.

But he didn't stop him.

"Daddy, _please."_

And the sweater hit the floor, along with his pants.

Every touch, every squeeze, every grope was like playing with putty that spoke back to you.

If that putty was a kinky microbiologist anyways.

But Kevin didn't mind.

He didn't mind _at all._

* * *

With his arms pinned above his head, Edd couldn't move.

 _Much._

He could wrap his legs around Kevin's waist, roll his hips against Kevin's own and _beg_ his _Santa Daddy_ to be _anything but gentle._

But Kevin was gentle. He wanted Edd to _know_ beyond a shadow of a doubt that _this Santa_ delivered _every day._ All you had to do was ask nicely and say pretty please.

Edd was in _tears_ when his kisses ceased and the _sucking_ began. Begging became whimpers and when Kevin flipped over so he was on his back and Edd was on his face, the tears gave way to _happy sobs_ , and next to his bike, Kevin's _favorite ride_ began.

Edd was in _complete control_ despite his emotions.

Thighs tight against Kevin's face.

Hands on the bed's headboard.

Hips _rolling._

Calling on God, Santa, and his _damn Daddy_ in perfect French.

And _Santa_ had the damn nerve to _hum_ his _approval._

Edd. Lost. His. Damn. Mind.

Not a fuck was given if he woke up the whole damn neighborhood with his screaming. Every hand squeeze to his _perfect_ ass sent shockwaves down his spine and aftershocks through his hips and down Kevin's throat.

He nearly fell off the bed as he tried to detach himself from Kevin's merry little mouth, but strong arms wrapped themselves around him and pulled him into a cuddle.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," Kevin snickered as he gently rubbed his back.

Edd heaved a heavy, annoyed sighed and pouted a bit as he cuddled close before shivering in Kevin's arms.

"I'm cold, Daddy."

Kevin rolled his eyes as he smirked and Edd wouldn't look at him as a _deep_ blush crept into his cheeks.

"C'mere."

Edd clung to him as he pulled the covers back, laid down and pulled the mountain of sheets and blankets over them.

"Better?"

 _"I guess,"_ Edd said as ran hand down Kevin's still clothed body.

Another eye roll.

Another pout that turned into a whine when Kevin's hoodie hit the deck.

 _"Daaaamn, Santa,"_ he said in an awed whisper as he reached out a shaking hand to touch the redhead's sculpted chest.

Kevin cocked a brow and sucked his teeth and Edd drew his hand back.

"What?"

"You _swore,_ Eddward. That's a naughty thing to do."

"Oh, noes. I've been naughty. Whatever are you going to do with me?"

Cocky smirk met sweet grin.

And Kevin kissed that smirk right off his beautiful face.

* * *

It was gentle, slow. But a smoldering passion rested in the thick of it and Edd was soon holding on to him for dear life as he kissed down his jawline, neck, and the sensitive spot at the dip of his collarbone. Large hands that pitched baseballs for nearly half their lives, restored a 1962 Harley Panhead to _mint condition,_ and closed so many deals that protected so many lives except the one he _wanted,_ touched whatever patch of soft skin they could get in their gentle, but _yearning_ grip.

Edd gave a _hard_ hip roll as Kevin gently laid open mouthed kisses across his chest, played in his hair with his right hand and the fingertips of his left hand gently caressed his side.

 _"Daddy."_

One of the most caring people he knew gave him the most caring name you could give a _father figure (RIP George Michael!)_ because he did for him what so many couldn't.

It was _twisted_ in a way, especially considering their own feelings on having families of their own _someday._

Not that Kevin _doesn't_ like it.

Because he _does_.

And because _only he_ can do for Edd like a _Daddy_ can.

"You want it, you're gonna have to _work_ for it like a _good boy_ should," Kevin growled at him as he held himself over the ravenette.

Edd cocked a brow at him, but sat up and dug a hand in the right hand front pocket of his jeans.

"Ever the reliable one," he said softly when he pulled out the small bottle of lube.

Since their first time, Kevin never went _anywhere_ a bottle of lube. The sex was just too good for him to not be prepared.

"Would you like Santa to forget how to make you feel good?," he whispered against his lips as Edd slipped his hand into his back left pocket and _squeezed_ his ass cheek as he pulled the condom out.

 _"Never, Daddy."_

 _"Good boy."_

The items in Edd's hands were set aside as he kissed the burly man hovering above him and shoved his pants out of the way. And he called on _sweet baby Jesus_ when Kevin's naked body touched his own.

* * *

Kevin still went slow. Despite the difference in their sex _drives_ , once Edd was _up_ , he was _UP_. But one doesn't leave one's mark on the only person they could ever want by running a sprint.

Kevin's feelings had been building up for nearly 15 years, and if he was honest with himself, he was in love with the man in his arms.

They _never_ spoke of it, but it was there.

And Kevin was going to _show him_ how much was there, and how much more he could have if he didn't run away.

He stilled his hips but rolled his own.

Edd would pull his hair and Kevin would pull him closer.

He kissed his pleas away and granted _every wish._

He _took him_ and gave his heart away.

He could tell that Edd was sensing that this was more than just a drunken roll in the hay, but he didn't stop him. The encouragement he was giving him had Kevin on _Cloud Nine._

Legs over shoulders so he could go deeper.

Slow movements to make this marathon last as long as possible.

And _his name_ on those lips that wouldn't stop sealing themselves _all over him._

But there's only so much a man can take and the dash to the finish line had Kevin feeling like he had ran a marathon, but won the World Series, too.

Edd didn't let go of him for the rest of the night.

* * *

In strong arms to the shower.

Hands clasped gently as they kissed each other goodnight.

But Kevin woke up wrapped around Edd's pillow, his hoodie and Santa hat missing, but Edd's beanie still on the arm of the couch.

 _Rage_ filled him. As well as _heartbreak_.

He sobbed into the beanie that was _Double Dee's calling card_ for who knows how long. When he felt like he could face the world, he looked inside the cap to see how he should take care of his new found _comfort blanket_.

There were two tags.

One with the care instructions. The other with the beanie's size. And on the back of the tag that belonged on a large sized head was something Kevin thought he'd never get.

 _An address._

Edd never told him where in NYC he was living, just that he lived there. As far as Kevin could tell only Ed, Eddy, and Nazz had that information and they were tight lipped about it as well. Marie got lucky that she saw him at an art show once, but the rest of the meetings they had over the course of the weekend she was there were all in public spaces.

Kevin knew what he held in his hand was nothing short of a miracle.

 _A Christmas miracle._


	4. Chasing Stars

He quickly packed, made brunch with his friends quick with excuses to get back to work, rushed home and got online.

Trips to NYC were still pretty expensive, _especially last minute ones,_ but he just _knew_ that he wouldn't have to worry about getting a place to stay once he got there, and because of the city's bustling public transportation system, he wouldn't have to worry about getting a car, either.

He booked a flight in 15 minutes and texted Nazz to check his mail til the third.

Nazz: Why?

Kev: Business. Gotta run a thing to a guy out of town, figure I'll see some sights too.

Nazz: Be safe

Kev: Always

* * *

He was packed in 20 minutes and drove the two hours to Charleston in an hour and 15 minutes. When his mom called him about his sudden trip to the Big Apple as he had her down as an emergency contact on all of his _things_ like the good son he was, he told her the same thing he told Nazz.

"Be good, Kevin. You know how some people can get this time of year," she told him.

"How, Ma?," he snickered as he rode the elevator up to his overnight hotel room that would be his last chance to ever sleep alone again if he had anything to say about it.

 _"Desperate._ They're all trying to figure out how they want this year to end and the new one to start. Going out with a bang is one thing; you just never want it to blow up in your face."

Her words settled in his gut like curdled milk, but his heart acted as an antacid to his anxiety and doubt. Yes, they had made love to each other last night, and while he tried to reason that this was just him trying to give Edd his hat back _and get him back, too,_ he knew that _anything_ could happen and sometimes it's easier to err on the side of caution than to go in with rose colored glasses and champagne.

"Got it, Ma. I'll let you know how it goes."

"You call me as soon as you get there and before you leave, you hear me?," she told him sternly.

"Yes, mother," he snarked back.

"Be good, Kevin," she sighed.

"I will," he said as he hung up, his heart yearning for the only good thing it had ever truly had.

* * *

He didn't get much sleep that night, excitement and _worry_ keeping him up. The hum of the Boeing 747's engines put him into a light sleep and he grabbed a venti Americana at Starbucks and called his mother when he landed.

Then straight to Midtown.

The street was packed and traffic was at a near standstill because the recent snow storm that _finally_ let up that morning had brought things to a bit of a _halt_. Kevin's cab got within a half mile of Edd's building before Kevin just gave up, paid the guy, and walked the rest of the way.

It was too cold to feel much of anything besides his heart thudding in his chest, but he blamed that on his brisk walking to keep warm. When the building came into sight, he _stopped_.

The pictures he had seen online when he Googled the address didn't do it justice. In a sea of new and modern, the prewar building was a well-loved masterpiece.

The brick building had a wide stoop that led to a set of wrought iron doors and on the other side of those doors was a heavy mahogany French door inlaid with stained glass. The windows to the apartments all had flower boxes and a fire escape ran down both sides of the building. But each landing was personalized by the tenant that used it as a means of escape. Christmas lights and prayer rugs, grills and oversized coats. Work boots and bird feeders.

And at least six chimney's.

When he got to the front door, he saw the list of names and the call buttons that accompanied them on the panel on the wall.

And his heart _stopped._

 _No one_ knew he was here. If he pressed the button, he didn't know if he could stand _private_ Edd's rejection.

When he took a step back to _breathe_ and formulate some sort of plan, a UPS delivery driver came up behind him and snickered.

"Lock yourself out, man?"

Kevin whipped around and before he could say anything the guy chuckled.

"Happens to the best of us. Hang on, I'll get you in."

He then pressed the button next to _Jackson-Williams_ and a rough, annoyed voice yelled out over a crying baby.

"Yeah!?"

"Delivery for Trevor Williams!"

"About fucking time," was all Kevin heard before the doors clicked and he and the delivery guy scurried inside.

* * *

They made some small talk on the ride up and Kevin shook his nerves off as he made his way down the hall. The UPS guy stopped at a door two doors down from Edd, but on the opposite side of the hall.

"Amazon _Prime_ , my ass," the blond man that answered the door said as he signed for the package and a caramel skinned, curly, sandy haired toddler sobbed as she wrapped herself around his legs. "Look, Ava! Mommy's present came!"

"I WANT MOMMY!"

"Sh!," was all Kevin heard before the door slammed.

The delivery guy chuckled as he tossed a wave to Trevor and Kevin knocked on Edd's door.

A heartbeat later it opened to reveal a short black pregnant woman, her hair drawn up into an afro puff, wearing what Kevin assumed was her PJs as she pulled some fruit snacks out of the box under her arm.

"Whoa. Can I help _you?,"_ she grinned flirtatiously.

"Uhuh…"

"Who is it, Ang?," Kevin heard Edd call from a room towards the back of the apartment.

"Tall, gorgeous, and soul stealing!"

"What?! Who are you flirting with now?!," Edd said as he came to the front of the apartment. "I swear I'm gonna…"

Seeing _Kevin,_ he froze.

"You forgot your hat," Kevin said sheepishly as he pulled the hat out of his pocket.

"You came to _New York from Peach Creek_ to give me my hat back?!"

It was then that Kevin looked him over.

He didn't have a hat on his head, but one was on his breakfast bar, another on the coffee table.

 _Of course he'd have more than one!_

But he was also wearing Kevin's hoodie.

"Figured I'd get that back, too," Kevin said as he pointed at the oversized hoodie that Edd was nearly drowning in.

Edd went red and a look of sheer frustration lit his blue eyes on _fire_.

At this point, Ang had stepped back into the apartment to let Kevin in and then scampered to the couch with her snacks to watch the drama unfold.

"How'd you know where I lived?," Edd huffed as he pulled the hoodie off, straightened out his shirt and tossed the hoodie in Kevin's face.

Kevin caught the hoodie with one hand as he whipped the beanie inside out with the other. He then crossed the small space between them and put it on Edd's head and flicked the tag with his address on it.

He turned around to take in his surroundings and noticed that the apartment was _spotless_ in usual Edd fashion, but not a label or PostIt note to be found.

"You _do_ label _everything_ ," Ang said from her spot on the couch.

"I just like making sure my things are where they should be," Edd said softly and a hickey on Kevin's chest throbbed.

"I'll say. Ain't Peach Creek like a day away from here?"

"9 hour drive," Edd said as he fixed his hat and put it on an empty hook on the wall behind the front door.

"3 hour flight," Kevin sighed, letting his doubts that this was a _terrible_ idea take hold.

"So are you going back today?," Ang asked as she pulled her buzzing phone out of her bra.

Kevin could feel the expectant look in Edd's eyes on the back of his head and shrugged.

"Meh."

"Dude, we're gonna throw the world's biggest party in like a week. _Stay,"_ she all but ordered as she texted someone back. "And if this wet rag bores you, come on down the hall. We're gonna party!"

"So your only baby sitter is a _wet rag,_ huh?"

Kevin and Ang looked at Edd who had his hands on his hips and a _know it all_ look in his eyes.

"Ok, ok. You're not a complete _bore_. But my invitation stands, uh?"

"Kevin," the redhead grinned but his smile faded at her dropped jaw.

"THIS IS _KEVIN!?"_

Edd put his hands up defensively as his front door opened again.

"Yo, Babe! Lunch?"

They all snapped their heads to Trevor who had the whimpering toddler on his hip and a little towheaded boy with pale skin but Ang's face on his heels, his nose focused on a tablet in his hands.

 _"This_ _is Kevin,"_ Ang snipped as she stood up and stalked to Trevor and pulled the little girl out of his arms and cocked her head at the redhead.

Trevor's eyes went wide and he turned to look at Edd who had his head in his hands.

"You good, Dee?"

Edd didn't respond.

He was stock still. Face in his hands. And Kevin could have _sworn_ he was _sniffling._

"Let's go, Babe," Trevor said quickly as Ang all but stormed out of the apartment. "C'mon, JT! Get your nose out of that damn tablet and look'a where you're going, child," he said as he ushered his son out of the apartment.


	5. Christmas Love All The Year Thru

Edd jumped when the door slammed and quickly wiped his eyes.

"Uh, how was your flight? And how did you even get in the damn building?!"

Kevin dropped his bag in the middle of the floor, kicked off his shoes, and tossed his coat on the dining room table.

"Terrible," he said coldly as he stood with his hands on his hips and stared Edd down. "And I have my ways."

"What do you want, Kevin?," Edd said just as coldly, as he crossed his arms across his chest, but Kevin could see that it was more in a comforting way than in any malice.

"YOU!"

"Kevin, be serious!," Edd said as he threw his arms in the air and the oven's timer dinged.

It was then that Kevin realized that Edd was baking. But this wasn't your usual holiday fare. This was _I'm stressed and want to drown myself in chocolate_ baking.

Dark chocolate chip fudge cookies.

And considering that his neighbor was over, he needed _someone_ to talk to about _something._

More than once Kevin would stop by Edd's for whatever reason and see Nazz, Marie, or both girls on the ravenette's couch stuffing themselves with his cookies and trying to help him _distress._

"I _am_ being serious, Edd. You _know_ we have _something_ otherwise you wouldn't be wearing _my hoodie_ and _baking_ with your little friend on the couch."

He had said these same words to him the summer before senior year and Edd _balked_. The cookies got burnt and Marie gave Kevin his hoodie back two days later. When she asked why Edd had it, he sent her back to Edd. Edd didn't speak to him for nearly a month.

This time Edd looked him in the eye and asked, "How the fuck do you think _we're_ supposed to work, Kevin?! Because we have _never_ worked well before."

"Only because _you_ didn't want to. How you gonna be out and hiding at the same time?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?," Edd asked in huff as he did his best to get his cookies off their baking tray and on the cooling rack without tearing them apart.

 _"Every_ guy you've ever dated had to reach these levels of perfection that _you_ can't even live up to and then you get to complain about how nobody gets you when you break up. Ever think that it's because of _you?!,"_ Kevin asked as he leaned on the door frame to the kitchen, resisting the urge to take Edd in his arms and shake him til he _got it._

 _"OF COURSE I HAVE!,"_ Edd screamed at him. "Sure, I was a martyr before because it's _scary_ being out, especially in a place like fucking _Peach Creek,_ but you don't know what that's like because _you've_ never lived it. And the _one time_ I chance it all, _he dropped me._ No reason. Just _gone_. So excuse my trepidation that _you_ want to be with _me,"_ he finished as he tossed the cookie tray into his sink.

"One, I wouldn't know how it felt to be like you because _you_ wouldn't let me be," Kevin said as he held up a finger. "And two," he snarked as he waved both fingers in Edd's face, "that break up was some damn fucking karma. About damn time you know how it feels to put it all on the line and _lose_."

And Edd's face _fell_ as realization of how what they had been doing for so long was affecting Kevin. So many chances to fix _them_ and Kevin _lost_ every time because Edd kept running away.

"E-Edd, I…I love you, and I can't keep playing these games with you. I gotta know, man."

"Know what?," Edd asked softly as he looked down at his hands.

"Why do you keep running back and forth like this?," Kevin asked as he pulled the ravenette in his arms. "Why won't you let me be the one, huh? And not just for Christmas, man. But…"

"Because…You…I…I just…," Edd's voice trailed off as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Edd, _please._ Give me a break for once. All I need is one. I swear –"

"I know," Edd whispered as he stood on tip toe and kissed the corner of his mouth. "But you have to understand, what _we are_ isn't normal. This is gonna be _hard_."

"It's only as hard as you make it. And what the fuck is _normal,_ dude? You're an _Ed_ for crying out loud!"

"Oh, my God. Shut up," Edd grinned as he lightly pushed him away and grabbed a couple of cookies off the cooling rack and handed him one. "So where you are you staying?"

Edd cancelled the hotel reservation for him, but made him dinner to make up for the hit to his wallet. Pouting into Edd's chicken noodle soup was always a good way to feel better about something.

* * *

Over the next couple of days, they worked themselves out. Edd showed him the city and Kevin showed Edd who he could be to him and _them._ They made plans for Kevin to visit at least once a month and just play it by ear from here on out.

When New Year's Eve came, Kevin wouldn't let Edd out of babysitting Ava. They could stay in and watch the party on TV, Ang could celebrate her birthday with her husband and their other friends and neighbors while JT _ran_ with his cousin's to Brooklyn for an overnight at Trevor's mom's.

"I'm keeping my word and so will you," Kevin told him when Ang and Trevor asked about his plans.

He had been watching JT since he moved in about four years ago, but now that he was old enough to enjoy shenanigans with his cousins, Ava was the only one who got snacks and cuddles with Uncle Dee before crashing out around 9PM. Edd would let the TV run quietly in the background while he did some work and talked to friends around the country either online or off.

Kevin was always curious about his plans, but he never thought they were so quiet.

"Oh, I did go out when I lived in Cali and Chicago, but not so much here. I mean, I did it once, and once is enough," Edd said when Ava toddled into the apartment; blanket and doll under her arm, looking for fruit snacks.

"You should take him next year," Trevor said as he tapped on his phone and handed Kevin the diaper bag Ang packed for the evening.

A worried look crossed Edd's face and Kevin just played it off with a _we'll see_.

Trevor cocked a brow at them both and shook his head as he walked away, a few _ideas_ playing in his head. The writer had a couple of popular TV shows on the air and knew that art imitated life more often than life imitated art. The trope playing in Edd's apartment would win he and his wife an Emmy if they played their cards right and Ang was a master card player.

The night passed uneventfully, but Edd didn't pull out his laptop to _work_ like he usually did. Instead, he cuddled on the couch with Kevin, snacks, wine and beer, and Ryan Seacrest.

"I miss Dick," he sighed as the countdown began and Kevin just _stared_ at him.

"I mean, he was a good host," Edd shrugged as he pulled him in for their _first,_ but certainly not their _last_ New Year's kiss.

"And so are you," Kevin growled at him as he carried him to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Ang rolled out of bed as best as her round belly would let her.

"Where are you going?," Trevor muttered sleepily as he tried to tug her back into bed.

"To pee," she replied and rolled her eyes at her husband's snicker.

"You _said_ you wanted another one," Trevor said before burrowing himself under the blankets again.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna get Ava, too, okay?"

"Mhm."

Ang tousled his hair and went to the bathroom before slipping out to get her daughter. She let herself into Edd's apartment with the key he gave her after he first moved in and they became friends.

Ava was sleeping in the playpen that she gave Edd when JT was just a toddler, but before she got her, she headed down the hall to Edd's bedroom to let him know she was picking the child up.

The door was cracked and what she saw inside the room made her heart soar and her writer's mind go on _full tilt_.

Edd was cuddled under Kevin's arm, but both of Kevin's arms were wrapped tightly around him, his face in Kevin's strong chest.

Many times when he would watch her kids or she came over to grab a K-Cup for her Keurig, she would find him in an awkward cuddle with his boyfriend du jour. Always with Edd doing the cuddling and the boyfriend with _maybe_ an arm wrapped around him or being the little spoon, even though they should have been the big spoon.

One too many times she saw a guy leaving in a hurry and Edd holding a pillow instead.

 _But not this time._

She knew Edd's feelings for Kevin but understood his fear of starting something with the man. Kevin wasn't out. Not even after their _breakup_. And yet, he let Edd know how much he wanted to be with him.

Having her own experiences with _are we or aren't we_ , _what are you_ type of relationships, she told him to just give the guy a chance because if he was willing to be in a _public_ relationship with him, he didn't mind being _labeled._

And she knew labels.

Her longtime girlfriend became her fiancé, then her _husband_.

She was an author of two LBGT fiction series with a huge following and three TV shows on two different networks.

Every television season was filled with questions of how to tell the stories of one of America's most diverse populations in a way that didn't _fetishize_ them. Sometimes she got it right, sometimes she got it wrong. But she kept at it.

And she kept telling Edd every time he went home for Christmas to give the boy who stole his heart a chance, just like HBO and CBS gave her.

"I'll think about it when _Netflix_ calls you."

She stopped by to tell him the news that Netflix wanted to turn her latest book into a miniseries the day Kevin showed up.

And seeing Kevin with him did more than just give her _ideas_ about how to really throw some drama at her HBO show about a crew of friends from a small town in middle America _growing up_ , it gave her hope that Edd was _finally_ letting himself be treated like he always wanted to be.

With love.

 _Real love._

* * *

She quickly turned on her heel, tiptoed to the playpen, and picked Ava up. As she shushed her whining child, she grinned.

"Mommy?"

Curious, hazy with sleep, hazel eyes peered into her own brown ones.

"Mommy has _ideas,"_ she giggled and Ava groaned before settling back on her shoulder to sleep.

Ang zipped out of Edd's apartment and back to her own, put Ava back to bed, poured herself a glass of orange juice and headed to her study to _plot_.

She won the Emmy and Kevin proposed in Time's Square the _next_ New Year's Eve.

He would play Santa for Ava and JT, and then their own children and grandchildren, too.

But he'd _always_ be Edd's Santa Daddy.


End file.
